Rodent trap



Aug. 26, 1952 w. E. M KIM 2,608,021

RODENT TRAP Filed Aug. 14, 1950 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 ea 7:- I9 I E- 3- N INVENTOR WALTER EAR-l- M KIM A'T' TORNEY Aug. 26, 1952 w. E. MOKIM 2,608,021

v RODENT TRAP I Filed Aug. 14, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR WALTER EARL M *KIM A TTORNE Y Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 'watasmmmm, White Rock, British.

, Columbia, Canada Application August 14, 1950, Serial No; 1.79;3177

3.C1aims. 1 My invention relates to improvements in .ro.- dent traps ofthe self-setting type.

The objects of the present invention are to pro- I vide aself-setting trap of substantial .sizeand strength suitable -for permanent use. where ;IO-.- dents, particularly rats; are found, such as warehouses; restaurants etc.; to provide means'wherebyv the entrance to the trap isclosed behind an incomingjanimal before lie-reaches the bait, and toyprovidethat the animal shallbe droppedinto asuitable receptacle for extermination as he gets close to the bait. Still further objects are to prevent the-animal from reaching-the bait pro:- vided for-his enticement, and to provide free-air passage through the entrance, so that thesmell of-the'bait will be sensed throughout the length of said entrance.

Referring to the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a'longitudinal sectional view of the trap withthe trap mechanism at maximum .posi-.- tion of tilt.

- Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of themechanism.

Figure 3.is a side elevational view-of the mechanism when in set position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the .mechanism inset position.

Figure 5 is a similar .vlew as Figurel lshowing the mechanism released and about to tip. 1

Figure .6 isa side elevation of the mechanism whenabout to tip.

Figure 17 is a front elevational view of themventionwhen in set position. Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of one side. of the invention showing the disposition of. the weighted arm immediately following-the spring ingof the-trap.

Figure 9 is a similar view ShOWiIlg the disposie tion of said weighted arm when the tunnel is in medial position of its downward travel Figure 10 is a view showing the arms position with the tunnel at the bottom of its stroke.

In the drawings like characters of reference-indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Thenumeral l indicates generally a, casing having side walls 2, one only shown, end walls 3.and14,-an intermediate wall 5 and covers 6 and 1. The casing is divided into lower and upper chambers B and 10 and a removable open topped water tank H is housed within the lower chamber. Above the water tank. :I I, the trap mechanism l2 forming the. invention. generally,. is housed and forming part of said mechanism is a stationary bait box It having a grille covered opening l5 in the wall 4-and preferably a foraminous screen 16 adjacent the inner end to prevent a trapped rodent from reaching the bait placed therein.

Pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot I8 is a tunnel l9 having a floor 20, side walls 2! and a top wall 22. The entrance to the tunnel is indicated by; the: numeral 23. andissnormallyr f an opening 24 formed in theintermediate'walli'of the casing I.. The.outlet2EisIarcuateIyshapedto conformto the inner end 'oflthe bait box '14 and to allowthe :tunnel .to swing downwardly into the lower chamberllas shownin Figure 1. Mounted. upon the inner face of .each side wall 2| of'the tunnel is a substantially triangular plate 21 which has .a slight pivotal movement abouta'pivotpin 28rcarried by said sidewall. These plates; are connected together by a transverse member '29 and a gatelatch bolt 30 is-hingedly connected to said memberwhich extends over guides or rollers Si -and projectsbeyond the entrance end off'the tunnel. The -rollers 3| are affixed to the under-'- side of thetop wall 22 .of 'said tunnel. From the lowercornersnf the triangular'plates'a runway 33-having sidewalls 34 is pivotally mounted-as at 35, so that theweightofithe runway and an a'ni mal of appropriate .sizewill. cause theinner end of the triangular-plates...to.lift and'the latch" bolt 30to::be withdrawn-to the right; The triangular plates 2.! are: so. fulcrumed as to cause the outer end of Ttherunway 33-tobe normally elevated above :the surface otthefi'oor 20. It willbe noted that theswinging movement of, the runway will be-storpped-when said runway/rests upon the1floor 20 of-the tunnel.

A hood.38.-having-side p1ates.39 and alfront gate Allis hingedlymountedupon pivot pins 4] which are. carried .by-the sidewalls of'the tunnel. The gate-ofthe hood is provided with an opening 43 throughwhich the .latchbolt 30 is adapted toex= tendwhen the trap mechanismvis in the position shown in Figure .4 to support said gate in open position relative to thetunnel as. shown in Figure 4; Mountedupon apin 45vbelow and to the rijght of the transverse pivot l8 .is..a swinging arm146 having -,a slot 1 .in. its. upper. end; The slot has ing; arm 46, with the pin remain-ingin the upper part .49 of .the slot above the step 59 .when the trap is in set positionas in Figure 3.

A weight .arm.55 -is .pivoted at its. lower end upon apin 56 whichextends from. a side wall of the tunnel [9. The weight arm 55 is rocked throughhallever 59 which is pivotally mounted upon-a side walls-of: thetunnelfand a connecting link connected to .the weight .arm and. to .the upper endoftheleverifi. The lowerend o'fAthe lever liflis connected to aside-plate 39'ofthe hood 38 by alink- 62 having an anchor pin-B3connected to the hood 38, whereby as the tunnel drops to. its lowermost position, as shown .inFigure 1. and subsequent to trapping arodenuthe rear end of the hood drops also, causing saiolhood... to .pivot upon the-pin 52- on the step 50 offtheswinging arm 46 and its weight to be carried over well to the right of the runway pivot 18, so that the 65 is connected to the side wall of the hood 38 which is adapted to engage the upper surface of a spring projected retractile latch 66 having an inclined nose 68.

A curved rod 19 is fitted to the undersideof'the tunnel l9 which is adapted to swing in the lower chamber 9 of the casing and a counterweight H is adjustably secured upon said curved, rod for.

the purpose of substantially balancing the'sew eral parts and to insure a proper return of the parts to normal position after dropping a trapped rodent into the water tank I I. I

In use, bait is placed in the bait box I 4 and the counterweight adjusted to conform to thegen eral weight of rodent to be caught. As an animal walks in upon the runway 33 and gets his front feet close to its rear end, his weight will depress said runway, causing the plates 2'! to rock about the pivots 28 in a clockwise direction, causing the latch bolt 30 to be withdrawn from the opening 43 and drop the gate to cover the entrance 23, also to withdraw the latch rod 65 and allow the tunnel Hi to swing in a clockwise direction. The dropping of the gate also causes the swinging 4 way depressibly mounted within the tunnel, a gate hingedly hung from the tunnel adapted to close an end of said tunnel in response to a rodent getting onto said runway and causing it -to move relative to the tunnel, a latch bolt for holding the gate in open position, a latch rod for retaining the tunnel in horizontal position, means actuated by the movement of the runway for releasing the latch rod to permit the tunnel and the runway to tilt downwards to discharge the rodent, and means hinged to the casing for arresting the movement of the gate when closing in response to downward movement of the runway, said runway being operably coupled to move the latch bolt to lock the gate in open position in response to upward movement of the runway.

2. A rodent trap comprising a casing, a normally horizontally balanced tunnel mounted on a transverse pivot carried by'the casing,- a runway depressibly mounted within the tunnel, a gate hingedly hung from the tunnel adapted to close arm 46 to move to the left as in Figure 6 until the pin 52 engages the step 50. As the free end of the tunnel drops, the rodent will slide down- Wardly, along the runway 33 finally dropping therefrom. As soon as the runway is relieved of the rodents weight the triangular plates 21 will rock in an anti-clockwise direction imparting an outward movement to the latch bolt 30. Simultaneously with the initial downward swing of the tunnel the upper end of the weight arm 55, which was in the position shown in Figure 6, will move to the left through the linkage 59, 60 and 62 and due to the arcuate movement of the pin 56 about the pin. l8 its lower end will move in alike'manher and the swinging arm 46 will swing beyond centre to the right as shown inFi'gure 10. The downward swing of the tunnel causes the gate to lift from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure Q since the pin 52 is engaged upon the step 50 of the slot 41. As the tunnel swings still further, towards the position shown in Figure 10, the swing arm will fall to the right, withdrawing the step from under the pin, simultaneously with this movement, the rodent falling from the runway will allow said runway and the triangular plates to return to normal position, so that the latch bolt can project through the gate andsupport it in raised position during the return of the tunnel to horizontal position. The final upswing of the gate allows the pin 52 to assume a position at the lower part 48 of the slot 41 as the counterweight 'H starts to return the tunnel to horizontal position. On the return swing of the tunnel, the gate drops slightly with respect to the tunnel and as the tunnel comes to rest the pin 52 becomes located in the upper part of the slot above the step as shown in Figure 6. Likewise with the return of the tunnel to horizontal position the latch 66 retracts to enable the latch rod to resume its normal position and lock the tunnel against free swinging movement.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A rodent trap comprising a casing, a normally horizontally balanced tunnel mounted on an end of said tunnel in response toa rodent getting onto said runway and causing it to move downwards relative to the tunnel, a'latchf'oriretainingthe tunnel in horizontal position, means actuated by the movement of the runway for releasing the latch to permit the tunnel and the runway to tilt downwards to discharge the rodent, a swinging arm hinged to the casing for moving the gate towards one position when the runway is relieved of its live load, a latch bolt movable in response to return movement of the runway for latching the gate inopen position before said tunnel has completed its downw'ard'swing and a weighted member having one swinging movement about a fixed point adapted to accelerate the downward swinging movement ofthe tunnel when a rodent is entrapped therein and a second swinging movement to assist the tunnel to return to normal position subsequent to the discharge of the rodentfrom said tunnel.

3 A rodent trap comprising a casing/9, normally'horizontally balanced tunnel mounted on a transverse pivot carried by the casing, a'pair of plates rockingly mounted in the tunnel; a runway pivotally mounted between said plates and adapted to be depressed, a gate pivotally mounted on the tunnel adapted to close an end of said tunnel in response to a rodent getting onto said runway and causing it tomove relative'to the tunnel, a. latch for retaining the tunnel in horizontal position, a weight arm pivotally mounted from the tunnel and connected to the gate by a link and rocking'lever having movement adapted to swing away from the transverse pivot when the runway supports a rodent and to swing towards said pivot when said rodent is discharged from the tunnel, means actuated by the runway for releasing the tunnel to swing downwards, and a latch bolt connected to one of the plates adapted to engage the gate to hold it in open position as the runway returns to normal position relative to the tunnel. I

WALTER EARL MCKIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Baranski Mar. 31, I931 

